Anne of Aragon and Navarre, Countess of Medinaceli and natural daughter of Prince Charles of Viana. Ties with the lineage of Cardinal Mendoza

Abstract

Anne of Aragon and Navarre, natural daughter of Prince Charles of Viana, as a key figure in the conflicts regarding succession in the Navarre of the late 15th century. In order to avoid major political turmoil, her grandfather John II of Aragon and then her uncle, Ferdinand the Catholic, sought a noble marriage for her and managed to wed her with the house of Medinaceli – which originated in the Royal House of Castile. However, both Anne of Aragon and her descendants insisted on their rights and claims to the throne of Navarre with the support of the lineage of Mendoza, based on the favourable outcome of a process to prove the legitimacy of her birth.